SPOTLIGHT: Arfan Talib’s 1000SEL Mercedes @ Player’s 11.0

The thing we love most about Player’s is the diverse selection of cars on display, many of which are rarely seen throughout the rest of the year (and in some cases not shown anywhere else). One of our stand-out cars from this year’s event was Arfan Talib’s 1000SEL Mercedes. This thing redefines VIP style: it’s one of the biggest, most badass Benz’s we’ve ever laid eyes on complete with champagne in the back and more red velvet than a trip to Stringfellows. This is the true definition of cool motoring my friends.

What’s a 1000SEL you cry? Well this is where the story gets really interesting. Despite looking like an off-the-shelf Mercedes, the 1000SEL had absolutely nothing to do with ’em. It’s actually a name coined by a selection of bespoke coachbuilders (predominately based in the UK and Germany) who would take a standard S-Class, pimp the living hell out of it and badge it as a 1000SEL special edition.

Still confused? Put simply, it was an extensively modified 500/560SEL S-Class built to ANY spec a wealthy customer could dream of. Stretch it, flare it, fit TVs in the back, whatever you wallet could stretch to. Basically the sort of upgrades Mercedes weren’t prepared to offer from the factory… irrespective of how much currency you’d acquired through various trafficking means.

Arfan’s 1000SEL sports the ‘Trasco’ badge on the back, which refers to the coachbuilders responsible for the conversion. Other tuners included Chameleon, ABC Exclusive and Gemballa, all who had their own unique spin on what a 1000SEL should be. Trasco predominately specialized in creating stretched versions of cars (including the W126 Benz here), and as such the majority ended up in Far-East dealerships where bigger generally meant better from a status point of view.

Trasco would even offer various levels of S-Class stretch from as little as 12in right up to a mighty 44in (3.5-feet) depending on just what level of length you were compensating for.

Joking aside, in a modern automotive world hell-bent on downsizing every aspect it’s seriously refreshing to see a piece of 80s history like the Trasco 1000SEL which showcases just how far coachbuilders were prepared to go, way before the days of Max Power brought car customization to the masses.

Speaking on which, Arfan hasn’t left his 1000SEL ‘standard’, if you can call a velvet-clad Benz standard in the first place. All four corners now feature 3-piece BBS RF wheels tastefully colour coded to the bodywork along with a complete WALD bodykit from Japan which further bulks up the monstrous exterior. The result is a motor which wouldn’t look out of place patrolling the streets of Tokyo with the Yakuza’s highest-ranked relaxed in the back…

As for the interior? We’ll let the pictures do the talking, but it’s nothing short of a masterpiece. 80s mobile phone, champagne supply and curtains for everyone. What’s not to love?

For more information on the bizarre yet awesome 1000SEL story check out www.1000sel.com